Portable leg and foot rest



May 8, 1945. HERBERT I 2,375,225

PORTABLE LEG AND FOOT REST Filed March 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 8, 1945. 1.. HERBERT 2 PORTABLE LEG AND FOOT REST Filed March 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 8, 1945 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,375,225 PORTABLE LEGANDFOOT REST Lionel Herbert, Washington, D. 0. Application March 15, 1943, Serial No. 4793669 11 Claims.

This inventionrelates to an improvement in portable leg and foot rests, of the character adapted to hold one or both legs to form a rest\ therefor when a person is in position. v 1

It is frequently desirable or necessary to rest the legs either in elevated or other positions when a person is sitting in a chair or lying in a bed. Heretofore, such leg rests have involved complicated supporting structures either permanently attached to the bed or chair, or so bulky and cumbersome that theyhave not been capable of storing in confined location.

The object of this invention is to improve the construction of such leg rests, by simplifying them, rendering the device inexpensive to manufacture, while at the same time, making it possible to collapse the rest to relatively small capacity,

so that it may be stored in an accessible place.-

Nevertheless, it is capable of use in difierent places, as when a patient is resting on a bed or in a chair, and of being carried on a vehicle, such as a train or an airplane, where it may be used readily when desired.

The leg rest has provision for anchoring it to a support for the patient, such as a. bed or a chair and may be used effectively for supporting the legs at any desired angle relative thereto, or

, for adjusting the legs to relatively different angles or positions, as when only one leg be supported at a height above the-other. Such adjustments as may be desired are capable of being made easily and conveniently when the device is set up for use. The construction is such that the rest may be collapsed and folded to compact relation for storage or extended to different positions to accommodate persons of diiferent sizes. different sized beds and chairs for secure mounting thereon, as may be desired.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated I in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the combined leg and foot rest;

chair;

Fig. 3 is a similar view applied to a bed;

Fig. 4 is a detailed cross section thereof on the Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof applied to a a sitting or lying It is capable of adjustment also t fit of the mounting I. an each of these is shown as formed of a plurality of sections 2, 3 and 4 arranged in longitudinal overlapping relation as illustrated in Fig. 6, and telescopically connected together through inturned guide flanges 5 that 'interfit with each other at the edges thereof, as will be evident from Figs. 1, 5 and 6. The sliding fitting relation of these flanges holds these sections in longitudinal alignment with each other, but capable of sliding to diflerent extended or collapsed positions and to compact form for storage.

The inner ends of the leg rests l are supported by a mounting frame which is sufficiently rigid to hold these supports in proper and desired positions, and yetis capable of collapsing when it is desired to fold the leg rest for storage. This mounting frame is constructed of a plurality of sections including bars 6, underlying the supporting sections 2 and secured thereto as by the rivets I. The bars 6 are longitudinally curved to correspond with the curvature of the sections 2, as shown in Fig. 5, and carry the leg rest thereon. The bar sections .6 are connected together by a link designated generally at 8, and comprising a female section 9 and a telescopic male section l0, adapted to interflt therein for relative adjustment of the leg supports toward and from each other. Thelink section It has openings II therein fordetachably receiving a pin l2 carried by the link section 9, so as to hold these parts in adjusted positions. The link 8 is secured at opposite ends to the bar sections 6 by pivotal connections l3, each of which includes a thumb screw which is capable of tightening to lock the bar and link sections in adjusted positions relative to each other. These thumb screws may be loosened for inter-folding the leg supports upon each other to collapsed positions.

At each opposite end of the supporting frame is a bracket .structure designated generally at It and including telescoping members l5 and I6 capable of vertical adjustment by a pin and I conditions.

secure fastening to a portion of a bed or chair,

such as a frame designated IS in Fig. 5.

The inner ends of the brackets H have sleeves at 20 fixed thereto, although capable of axial adjustment. Each of the sleeves 20 is telescoped in a socket 6' formed on the outer end of the bar to mount said bar on the bracket It but capable of turning movement relative thereto. This turning movement may be controlled by a thumb screw 2| engaging in notches 22 in the periphery of the sleeve 20, as shown in Fig. 8, to lock the leg support in its adjusted position relative to the upright supporting bracket 14 when the latter is secured to a bed or chair frame.

Thus it will be evident that the leg supports are capable of adjustment toward and from each other, as well as of angular movement to different vertical positions, and the supporting frame therefor is capable of adjusting these to accommodate for different manners of use and sizes of beds, chairs, and the like.

At the opposite end of each leg support I, a foot rest 25 is provided, being transversely curved somewhat concave to accommodate the shape of the foot. This foot rest 25 is shown as constructed also of sheet material and has outturned ears 26 (see Fig. 4) which are disposed V inwardly of ears 21, that are formed on the section 4 of the leg support. A bolt 28 extends through the ears 2-6 and 21, connecting these together, and is capable of being tightened to hold the foot rest in an adjusted position relative to the leg support I.

Provision is made also for propping the outer ends of the leg supports I iii-desired elevated positions. For this purpose, I have shown a prop attached to each of the leg supports, as by a sleeve 29 pivotally mounted on the bolt 28 and carrying a depending prop 30. The prop 30 is constructed of a plurality of sections telescopically connected together and adapted to be held in extended relation by fastening means 3|, such as the pin and bayonet slot shown. The props 30 may rest directly upon the floor as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or upon the bed or other support, according to the desired elevation of the leg support. The props are detachably connected with the leg supports l by the bolts 28 and may be removed when not required or for collapsing of the leg and foot rest to a compact relation for storage. Such removal is not required however, as each prop can be folded back upon the underside of the leg support, while the foot rest 25 swings over upon the top side thereof in compact relation. 7

It will be evident that the sectional character of this leg and foot rest adapts it for use in a variety of conditions and in any place where it may be desired to support one or both legs in an elevated position. By being constructed of sheet metal or other light weight material, it may be inexpensively manufactured and is capable of shipment in compact arrangement that lends itself to use in a wide variety of places and Nevertheless, when in use, it forms an effective and secure support for the legs throughout the length thereof, and may be extended under the buttocks, if such extended support be desired.

The manner of use will be evident from Figs. 2 and 3, where it is shown in different positions and applied respectively to a chair and a bed.

It will be evident from the construction described that the supporting frame may be collapsed by folding over one of the leg supports di-,

rectly upon the other, in which position the link 8 is turned substantially at right angles to the bar sections 6, where the parts may be retained by tightening the thumb screws. The brackets I4 are drawn inward as well as the parts 9 and Hi as far as permitted. In this position also, the sections 2 and 3 are moved to collapsed relation,and the props 30 may be folded backward thereon or detached as desired.

I claim:

1. A leg rest comprising an elongated supporting frame including a plurality of sections adapted to extend transversely across a patient-supporting device, said sections being adjustable longitudinally relative to each other, means forming pivotal connections between a plurality of said sections for bodily swinging movement thereof to collapse the frame transversely, upright supporting brackets connected with opposite end portions of said frame and adapted to embrace opposite sides of said patient-supporting device, clamps connected with said brackets for securing the frame on said device, and leg supporting means connected with said frame.

2 A leg rest comprising an elongated leg support having downwardly extended ears on an end thereof, a foot rest having an end thereof mounted between the ears and upstanding therefrom, a bolt extending through the ears and connected with the foot rest for pivotally supporting said foot rest on the leg support and for detachably connecting said parts together, and an elongated prop having a, sleeve journaled on the bolt and holding the ears spaced apart with said prop extending downwardly therefrom, said prop including a plurality of sections longitudinally adjustable relative to each other.

3. A leg rest comprising an elongated leg sup- 40 port having downwardly extended ears on an end thereof, a foot rest having an end thereof mounted between the ears and upstanding therefrom, a bolt extending through the ears and connected with the foot rest for pivotally supporting said foot rest on the leg support and for detachably connecting said parts together, and an elongated prop having a sleeve journaled on the bolt and holding the ears spaced apart with said prop extending downwardly therefrom.

4. A leg rest comprising an elongated supporting frame including a plurality of sections adapted to extend transversely across a patient-supporting device, said sections being adjustable longitudinally relative to each other, means for securing said sectionstogether in adjusted positions, and leg supporting means connected with said frame.

5. A leg rest comprising an elongated supporting frame including a plurality of sections adapted to extend transversely across a patient-supporting device, means forming pivotal connections between a plurality of said sections for bodily swinging movement thereof to folded positions, and leg supporting means connected with said frame.

6. A leg rest comprising an elongated supporting frame including a plurality of sections adapted to extend transversely across a patientsupporting device, said sections being adjustable longitudinally relative to each other, means forming pivotal connections between a, plurality of said sections for bodily swinging movement thereof to collapse the frame transversely, brackets connected with opposite end portions of said frame for connection with opposite sides of a patient-supporting device, and leg supporting means connected with said frame.

'7. A leg rest comprising an elongated supporting frame including a plurality of sections adapted to extend transversely across a patient supporting device, leg-supporting members mounted on spaced sections of said frame, said frame having an intermediate section pivotally connected respectively with said spaced mounting sections, whereby one of the leg-supporting members may be folded overupon the other.

8. A leg rest comprising an elongated supporting frame including a plurality of sections adapted to extend transversely across a patient-supporting device, leg-supporting members mounted on spaced sections of said frame, said frame having an intermediate section pivotally connected respectively with said spaced mounting sections, whereby one of the leg-supporting members may be folded over upon the other, and means for adjusting the spaced mounting sections lengthwise relative to each other to vary the relative spacing of the leg-supporting members.

9. A leg rest comprising an elongated supporting frame including'a. plurality of sectionsadapted to extend transversely across a patient-supporting device, leg-supporting members mounted on spaced sections of said frame, said frame having an intermediate section pivotally connected respectively with said spaced mounting sections, whereby one of the leg-supporting members may be folded over upon the other, mounting brackets connected with opposite end portions of the frame for mounting said frame on a patient-supporting device, and means for adtions, and a leg support including a, plurality of elongated trough-shaped sections telescopically connected together for relative longitudinal sliding movement, said leg support having one of said sections at an end thereof arranged in overlapping relation with the supporting frame and said leg support extending outwardly therefrom, and means connecting said end section of the leg-support with the supporting frame; I

11. A leg rest comprising an elongated supporting frame including .a plurality of "sections adapted to extend transversely acrossa patientsupporting device, means forming pivotal connections between a plurality of said sections for bod ily swinging movement thereof to' folded positions, and a leg support including a plurality of elongated trough-shaped sections telescopically connected together for relative longitudinal sliding movement, sai leg support havingone of said sections at an end thereof arranged in overlapping relation with the supporting frame and said'leg support extending outwardly therefrom, and means connecting said end section of the leg support with the supporting frame.

LIONEL HERBERT. 

